


Risk Perception

by jenbug (ladybug218)



Category: Boy Meets World
Genre: F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-25
Updated: 2013-12-25
Packaged: 2018-01-06 01:26:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1100794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladybug218/pseuds/jenbug
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shawn gets an unexpected surprise when he shows up at Cory and Topanga's house for Riley's birthday party.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Risk Perception

**Author's Note:**

  * For [somebraveapollo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/somebraveapollo/gifts).



> _I almost can’t believe I’m going to make myself vulnerable to him again. But what is love but the most extreme and exquisite form of risk perception? I know that relationships don’t last. And yet, with him, the risk of not being …with him is much worse than any other hurt I can imagine._
> 
> ~Megan McCafferty

Shawn walked up to Cory and Topanga's door with no idea that his life was about to be turned upside down. It was Riley's birthday and he nearly dropped the large box wrapped in pink sparkly wrapping paper with a giant silver bow when he knocked on the door. When the door opened to reveal Angela, the ex-girlfriend he hadn't seen in almost fifteen years, he _did_ drop the box and hoped that the very expensive easel and art set didn't break. 

"Hey, Shawn," Angela said, her tone casual, as if she hadn't broken his heart and then disappeared from his life for more than a decade. "Need a hand with that?"

"No, uh, I got it," he said, picking up the box and shaking it once to make sure it didn't sound like the contents had shattered into a thousand pieces.

"Uncle Shawn! Uncle Shawn! Hi!" Riley exclaimed, running up behind Angela and bouncing on her toes. "Is that for me?"

"No, it's for your dad," he responded, automatically joking with her as always. "Isn't his favorite color pink?"

"Noooooooooooo," she said, drawing out the word. "It's mine though!"

Shawn smiled at her, the interplay making him feel almost normal as he willed his heart to stop beating so fast that it felt like it might beat out of his chest. "Well, maybe this is for you after all. But why would I be bringing you a present?"

"Cause it's my birthday, silly!"

"Oh, right, that's it," he said, passing the package to her and watching with amusement as she tried to walk away balancing a box that was nearly as large as her. 

Angela watched the whole exchange with interest but waited to speak until Riley had disappeared back into the house. "Sorry if me being here makes you uncomfortable," she said once the girl was out of earshot.

"No, no, it's fine," Shawn said, probably too quickly. "I was just surprised. It's been a long time."

"Yeah, it really has," she agreed, stepping aside so he could finally enter the house. "You look good."

Shawn scrubbed a hand through his hair out of habit. "Thanks. So do you. Actually, you haven't really changed much. What have you been up to?"

"I traveled a lot," she said. "I ended up working as an interpreter specializing in foreign politics so my job took me all over the world."

"Wow, that's impressive," Shawn said, trying his best to keep the bitterness out of his voice. He still hadn't forgiven her for moving to Europe with her father all those years ago. "What brings you back?"

"I was actually offered a job at the French Embassy in Washington, DC," she explained. "So I'm only a couple of hours away now. Topanga and I reconnected on Facebook a few years ago and she invited me to come and meet the family."

He nodded. "I'm sure she's thrilled to have you around." 

Angela wasn't stupid enough to miss the meaning behind his words and flat tone. "Shawn, I'm really sorry that we lost touch."

"It was bound to happen," he said with a shrug. "I wasn't ever leaving the country. Hell, I'm still amazed I left Pennsylvania, even though I found my way back."

"What have you been doing all these years?"

"Working at the garage in town," he said. "I didn't end up graduating from Pennbrook. Couldn't afford to finish my degree. I got married six years ago and divorced five years ago. Luckily we didn't have kids so I'm not paying child support. She's remarried now so I'm not paying alimony either."

He hated the look of pity on Angela's face. "Don't feel sorry for me," he said. "I'm happy enough with my life. I honestly figured I'd be dead by thirty, so this is all gravy."

"Shawn," she said with a sigh. "I made a mistake. A huge one. And I only accepted Topanga's invitation today because I wanted to chance to apologize to you."

"You have an amazing life," he said. "It would have been a mistake for you to try and make me part of it."

"No," she said. "I have a great career and I've seen amazing things all over the world. And I've done it alone. I've never met anyone who got me half as well as you did and I've been lonely. I dream about you all the time and wish that I could go back in time and change everything."

Shawn blinked in confusion. "Are you honestly saying that you would give up your career and your travels and everything to be with me?"

"Yes."

He stared at her, uncertain what to say. There were so many emotions at war inside him. He was angry that it took her so long to realize they were perfect for each other and thrilled that she _had_ realized it and nervous that she was wrong about it. That _he_ was wrong about it and had been wrong about it all these years. One night, right after his divorce, he and Cory drank too much beer and he admitted that he was still in love with Angela. The next morning was when he decided to attend his first AA meeting. 

Before he had a chance to get his thoughts together, Topanga walked into the living room. "Shawn, Cory needs your help with the barbecue," she said. 

He bit his lip to keep from yelling at her for interrupting his moment with Angela. Having an opportunity to walk away and make sense of things. "Sure, I'll make sure he still has eyebrows at the end of the day."

The girls were whispering the moment he was out of the room and he knew they were talking about him but he didn't even care. "Hey, Cor," he said, joining his best friend on the back deck. "I heard you need my expertise." 

"Shawny, you're the only one I trust with my meat."

"Dude, seriously? Do you even listen to yourself?"

Cory grinned and handed him the spatula. "Sorry about Angela. I only found out this morning and I didn't have time to warn you."

Shawn managed to smile back. "It's okay. I think I'm glad she's here. We have a lot to talk about."

"Do you think…?"

Shawn cut him off before he could ask the question. "I don't know. I'm afraid to even think it's a possibility."

"It's definitely a possibility," Cory said. 

"How do you know that?"

"Topanga told me so."

Shawn had to laugh. All these years and his best friend hadn't changed a bit. Luckily, though, he had. And he hoped it was enough to make this work.


End file.
